The Dallas Cowboys have a whole lot on their plate this offseason. Of course, their top priorities will be re-signing quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper, but they also have key players such as cornerback Byron Jones and wide out Randall Cobb hitting the open market.
While many figure that Jones will be a goner (he will be one of the top corners available), Cobb is certainly an interesting candidate. The Cowboys actually will have quite a bit of cap room to use in free agency, but, obviously, a lot of that will go toward hammering out new deals for Prescott and Cooper. But there could still be some room for Cobb.
Cobb signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Dallas last offseason and ended up having a very nice bounce-back year, catching 55 passes for 828 yards and three touchdowns after playing in just nine games in 2018 due to concussions. Those were also Cobb's best numbers since 2015.
Keep this in mind: Mike McCarthy, who coached Cobb from 2011 through the latter stages of 2018 with the Green Bay Packers, is now the Cowboys' new head coach, so that could provide some extra incentive for Cobb to return.
Cobb also joined Dallas last year because he wanted to play for a contender, and while the Cowboys went just 8-8, they still own arguably one of the NFL's most talented rosters and seem primed for a better season in 2020. So clearly, there are reasons for the 29-year-old to want to return to Dallas. But should the Cowboys want him back?
Assuming Dallas re-signs Cooper, it will already have a lethal one-two punch in Cooper and Michael Gallup, making a No. 3 receiver of Cobb's ability more of a luxury than anything else. That's not to say that the Cowboys couldn't use Cobb, but because they have two outstanding receivers as it is, they may feel that that money would be better spent elsewhere.
Not that Dallas has a whole lot of holes on its roster, but it may not be willing to shell out significant cash for a No. 3 wide out. But honestly, the idea here should be to supply Prescott with as many weapons as possible, especially considering the Cowboys may end up having an issue at tight end next season if they allow Jason Witten to walk. Then again, Blake Jarwin could end up being a breakout candidate if that does occur, but he is more of a what if than a sure thing.
If Dallas is going to hand Prescott a huge contract (and it probably will; I can't imagine the Cowboys allowing Prescott to bolt), it needs to focus on getting him as much help as possible to ensure short and long-term success.
Let's face it: the Cowboys are in win-now mode. This is not a rebuilding team, regardless of what their 2019 record may suggest.
While re-signing Cobb shouldn't necessarily be a priority, it should be on the list of things Dallas aims to do next month, because a trio of Cooper, Gallup and Cobb under a new coaching regime could terrorize the NFC.
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